I was going through a box of old things and found my pile of Sufi poetry books. I glanced through one of my favourites - a translation by Daniel Ladinsky of The Gift, poems by Hafiz The Great Sufi Master.

He lived from 1320 to 1389 and obviously came across Japanese buddhism. He wrote this poem about the Buddha woven through with a teaching about lust/greed:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hafiz,Tonight as you sit with your Young students

Who Have eyes Burning like coals for the truth,

Raise your glass in honour Of The Old Great One from Asia.

Speak in the beautiful style And precision wit of a Japanese verse.

Say a profound truth about this path With the edge of your sailor's tongue that Has been honed on the finest sake.

Okay, dear ones, are you ready? Are you braced?

Well then:

Who can hear the Buddha sing If the dog between your legs is barking?

Who can hear the Buddha sing If that canine between your Thighs

Still Wants to do circus

Tricks?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mettaChris

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---